Goodbye from Nowhere

Sara Zarr, author of the National Book Award finalist Story of a Girl, returns with an intimate, exquisitely crafted novel of the courage it takes to see those we love for who they are.

Kyle Baker thought his family was happy. Happy enough, anyway. That’s why, when Kyle learns that his mother has been having an affair and his father has been living with the secret, his reality is altered.

He quits baseball, ghosts his girlfriend, and generally checks out of life as he’s known it. With his older sisters out of the house and friends who don’t get it, the only person he can talk to is his cousin Emily—who is always there on the other end of his texts but still has her own life, hours away.

Kyle’s parents want him to keep the secret of his mother’s affair from the rest of the family until after what might be their last big summer reunion. As Kyle watches the effects of his parents’ choices ripple out over friends, family, and strangers, and he feels the walls of his relationships closing in, he has to decide what his obligations are to everyone he cares for—including himself.

When the two people you trust most shatter your world, who do you become?

• A Family Shattered by Infidelity: Kyle’s mom has a secret. His dad knows. And they’ve asked him to lie for them, forcing him to question everything he believed about his family.
• First Love and Fallout: As Kyle retreats into himself, he pushes away his girlfriend, Nadia, unable to explain the chaos that’s consuming him.
• An Unbreakable Cousin Bond: The only person he can confide in is his cousin Emily, his anchor in a world that no longer makes sense.
• A Journey of Self Discovery: Forced to navigate his parents’ drama, Kyle must figure out who he is when the foundation of his life crumbles.

Praise for GEM & DIXIE: “This may be the most powerful sibling story I’ve ever read. Gem and Dixie’s road trip is heartbreaking and honest and beautifully rendered by one of my all-time favorite writers. This is Sara Zarr at her absolute best.” - Matt de la Peña, Newbery Medal winning author of WE WERE HERE

Praise for GEM & DIXIE: “Gem & Dixie is a beautiful, poignant, and ultimately hopeful story from one of the finest YA authors writing today. An exploration of the complicated love and loyalty between sisters that is at once profoundly moving and unflinchingly real.” - Nova Ren Suma, New York Times bestselling author of THE WALLS AROUND US

Praise for GEM & DIXIE: “A story that broke my heart and put it back together again. You won’t want to let Gem and Dixie go.” - Sarah Dessen, New York Times-bestselling author of SAINT ANYTHING

Praise for GEM & DIXIE: “With a vivid, well-rounded cast of characters, including the adults, and a poignant portrayal of family dynamics, Zarr’s frank, resonant story is both bittersweet and triumphant.” - ALA Booklist (starred review)

Praise for GEM & DIXIE: “Zarr movingly explores the effects of neglect on two vulnerable girls relearning how to trust. Readers’ hearts will ache for Gem, who so desperately wants to follow a different path than her parents, as she tries to carve out a better life for herself and her sister.” - Publishers Weekly (starred review)

Praise for GEM & DIXIE: “Gem’s prickly, agonizingly real internal monologues quickly bring readers into her corner, and her messy, layered interactions with Dixie are heart-wrenching. As the unpredictable turns of events progress, Gem’s quietly growing convictions about her own future are hard-won and nuanced. A poignant and smart family drama.” - Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

Praise for GEM & DIXIE: “Packed with Zarr’s sharp-eyed, honest observations of human nature, GEM & DIXIE gives us two sisters crushed by the failures of their parents, and asks how bad things need to get before you have to make a change. A road-trip like you’ve never been on before.” - Laura Ruby, author of National Book Award finalist and Michael L. Printz Award winner BONE GAP